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March 30, 2008

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LEXINGTON, Ky. - Junior Krystal Ellis scored a career-high 40 points and the Marquette women's basketball defeated Kentucky, 69-64, in the Women's National Invitational Tournament Quarterfinals Sunday afternoon at Memorial Coliseum.

Her 40 points mark the third time in program history and the first time since 1999 a Marquette player has scored 40 or more points in a game.

With the win, Marquette (19-14) advances to the WNIT Semifinals where it will play Colorado in Boulder on Wednesday, April 2. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. CT. Colorado earned a berth in the semis with a 96-90 overtime defeat of TCU in Boulder Sunday.

Ellis led all scores with 40 points and added a career-best four blocks. Ellis made 13 of 14 from the free-throw line, including four in the final 30 seconds of the game, and five long-range buckets. Freshman Angel Robinson was the other Golden Eagle in double figures scoring 13. Collectively, Marquette shot 34.5 percent from the field (20-of-58).

For Kentucky (17-16), Samantha Mahoney scored a team-high 15 points, while Victoria Dunlap added a double double, 14 points and 10 rebounds. For the game, UK made 39.6 percent of its attempts from the floor.

Down 11-17 with 10:10 to go in the first, Marquette forced five turnovers in two minutes of play and went on a 9-0 run to tie the score and go ahead, 20-17. Ellis capped the run with a trifecta with 7:16 left in the half.

Marquette went into the intermission with a 36-31 lead. Junior Erin Monfre hit a 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds left in the half to give the Golden Eagles a six-point cushion at the intermission.

Ellis had 19 points in the first half while the Golden Eagles shot 37.5 percent from the field.

The Golden Eagles picked up where they left off in the second pushing their lead to 15 points, 48-38, with 13:21 left to play. Ellis, with the hot hand, scored 13 points over six minutes early in the second frame.

Kentucky countered with a 12-0 run to pull within three points, 53-50, with 8:17 left in the first half. However, that would be the closest the Wildcats would come for the remainder of the game.

Marquette kept its composure and took a seven point lead on three separate occasions with the last being with 4:05 left to play thanks to a steal by freshman Paige Fiedorowicz and a pair of free throws from Ellis. The Wildcats came within three with less than a minute to go, but Ellis secured the win for MU sinking four from the charity stripe in the final 30 seconds.

Post-game Notes

• Marquette improves to 9-5 all-time in WNIT/NWIT play.

• With the win, Marquette has won three consecutive games for the first time all season.

• Marquette moves on the WNIT Semifinals for the second time in as many tournament appearances. The Golden Eagles defeated Pittsburgh, 77-64, in the 2006 semis to earn its spot in the championship game.

• Krystal Ells' 40 points was three points shy of matching the single-game record. It is also the third time in program history a player has scored 40 or more points and the first time since Lisa Oldenburg did it on Nov. 26, 1999 in overtime against Pacific.

• Her 40 points are a Marquette WNIT record. Her 11 made field goals are also a Marquette WNIT record, as well as her four blocked shots.